SEWARD, Neb. – The 18th-ranked Concordia University wrestling team is off to a good start in its aim of repeating as a GPAC regular-season champion. Heavyweight Michael Stann and 125-pounder Mario Ybarra claimed pins as the Bulldogs toppled visiting Northwestern, 29-10, in Friday (Nov. 15)’s GPAC opening dual inside Walz Arena. Concordia won seven of 10 matches, including three by bonus points.
Second-year head coach Levi Calhoun’s squad went 7-1 last season in conference duals. As a program, the Bulldogs (1-0) are 34-4 in GPAC duals since the start of the 2014-15 campaign.
“Obviously it’s good to get a win, but we need to get a little better,” Calhoun said. “We need to fight through some positions a little better. We need to not give up takedowns, not give up points and continue to work on offense. There’s a lot of room for improvement. It’s a good win and we need to continue to grow.”
A Scottsbluff, Neb., native, Ybarra seems to have grown and learned plenty from his freshman season. Following a third-place finish at last week’s Dakota Wesleyan Open, Ybarra essentially put the dual on ice with his dominant work at the top of the lineup. The night actually started with the 149-pound match, so Ybarra waited his turn to dominate. He was leading 10-1 in the second period when he erased Sean Heeney.
The work of Ybarra and Stann stamped out Red Raider hopes of a rare visitor victory at Walz. Concordia actually trailed, 10-9 after six matches, when Stann took the mat. The bout did not even make it a full period before Stann nailed Skyler Bonestroo to the mat.
“Those are two leaders on our team,” Calhoun said. “With Michael that was kind of expected, but Mario is not really a pinner so to see him come out, attack and get that pin really raised the energy level. That really sealed up that dual for us. That was pretty awesome to see two of our biggest leaders come out and do that.”
Ybarra garnered No. 14 preseason national ranking in the 125-pound weight class. He’s someone who could rise to stardom this winter.
“Just staying mentally focused (was the key),” Ybarra said. “I got a lot of the kinks out from last year as a freshman. It’s basically going out there and wrestling how I know how to. It’s awesome to have a crowd out there like that. I just have to do what I know how to do and stay mentally focused.”
It was also an impressive night for senior Zack Moistner, a returning national qualifier. Just as the buzzer sounded in the third period, Moistner was awarded four near-fall points to make it a victory by technical fall (16-0). His win at 133 immediately followed Ybarra in the defining stretch of the evening.
An additional four Bulldogs won by decision: sophomore Gad Huseman (149), junior Gabe Crawford (157), senior Deandre Chery (174) and senior Chris Kimball (141). Chery is a two-time GPAC champion and a two-time national qualifier. Kimball qualified for the 2018 national tournament.
Head coach Rik Dahl’s Northwestern lineup featured three returning national qualifiers. Out of that group, No. 4 Andrew Null (165) and No. 9 D’rell Gist (197) earned victories. Meanwhile, No. 19 Dante Preciado was defeated by Kimball. The Red Raiders went 5-3 last season in GPAC duals and tied for fourth place.
Next up on the schedule is the University of Nebraska-Kearney Open on Saturday, Nov. 23. Concordia will wait until Dec. 5 to return to GPAC dual action. On that date, the Bulldogs will be in Sioux City, Iowa, to take on Morningside, last season’s GPAC co-regular season and tournament champions.